Impact type sucker rod wrench



June 26,- 1951 Q E OLSEN ETAL 2,558,374

IMPACT TYPE SUCKER RGD WRENCH Filed April 7, 1948 FIG 2. FIG FIG.3

Inventors 42@ 229/@ 29 CARL E, oLsEN 43 42" J. ARVID PETERSON FIG. 5.

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Patented June 26, `-1951 UNITED 'STATES PATENT oF-Ficr.

IMPACT TYPE SUCKER ROD WRENCH Carl E. Olsen and Joseph A. Peterson,Houston, Tex., assignors to Gearench Mfg. Co., Houston, Tex., acorporation of Texas Application April 7, 1948, Serial No. 19,604

8 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly wrenches foruse in joining sucker rods in oil wells, the latter of which are. inthreaded connection with one another, or connected through a threadednipple.

An obj ect of our invention to provide a sucker rod wrench which isveective in setting up, and breaking the joints of sucker rods used inoil wells` and the like..

Another object of our invention is to provide a sucker rod wrench havingan adjustable jaw to fit various sizes of wrench receiving: portions onsucker rods and couplings.

A further object of our invention is to provide a sucker rod wrenchhaving an impact delivering handle secured in the head; by meansv of apin in combination with means to hold the head1 of the wrench inalignment with the handle when the wrench` is being placed in operativeposition.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a. sucker rod wrenchwith the head pivoted to the handle at a` point that gives effective.hammer action upon the head without jarring the operators hands. p

A still further object of our invention is to provide a sucker rodwrench with jaw ends and handle so shaped that the wrench is easilyslipped on or oli the wrench receiving portion of the rods or couplings.

Still further objects: and the entire scope of applicability of thepresent invention will become apparent from the detailed descriptiongiven hereinafter; it should be understood,V however', that the detaileddescription and specic example is given by way of illustration only and,while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, is notgi-ven` b-y way of limitation,y since various changes and modiiicationswithin the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the. art from. this detailed description.

In the drawing, p

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a Wrench constructed in accordance withour invention;

Fig. 2 is an end View of the wrench shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view in part section of the head` and upper portion ofthe handle showing the handle positioned with respect to the head toallow the hammer portion on the handle to be out of contact with thecooperating anvil portion on the head, so as to permit hammer blows tobe delivered to the head Fig. 4 is a side View partially in elevation.and partially in section with the hammer portion on 2 the handle incontact. with" the anvil portion on the hea-d;

Fig. 5A is a section taken. along line 5--5 ol'. Figure 1.;

Fig. 6 is a view ofthe: top of the adjustable outer jawV on the sectionline. 6--6 of. Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 shows a modified form. of handle end. in the form of around knob;v and Fig. 8. isy av section taken along line 8.-8 of Figure 4 showingthe pivot bushing mounting in the head.l

Referring to the` drawing' more in detail. a. wrench is generallydesignated at Il!v4 hav-ing a head. III' and. an. elongated. handlegenerally inkdicated at l2.

The lower approximate one half. or hand. gripping` portion l'3Y of the`handlel extends ina longitudinal direction while the upper portion ofthe handle is curved` gradually outward orV to the right as at'V l5?and; terminates in a generally longitudinally extending, upper, oiTsetend portion i6 which has. a bifurcated end H.

The bifurcated end IT extends partly in the longitudinal direction. of`the: handle and at*I its outer' end. portion fl istransverse to the`direction of the handleV and opposite to the onset portion I6. The innerfaces of. the bifurcations form inthe handlel a head. receiving slotwith. a rear wall I8: of arcuate shape so: positioned. that7 the p slothas its greatest depth atY its upper end.. Just below the lower end ofthev bifurcations there is formedv on the handle a hammer portion t9which cooperates with an anvil 28 on the head described later.

The handle I2 is I-shaped. in cross section, having an outer ribportion20 and an inner rib portion 2li. The hammer portion t9.y isformedinasomewhat thickened( portion of, the inner rib 2l. The lower end of thehandle. terminates. in a somewhat cylindrical knob 22. formed by the riband4 is apertured. at. 2`Z"..

A spring and plunger receiving recess 23 in the formv of acylindricalbore extending` inthe longitudinal. direction. of the handleis formed in the oiiset handle portion I6', as best. shown in Fig. 4l

The upper and inner portion of this recess 23" is" cut away as at 23while the remaining portion 23. forms a shoulder extension. of therecess. The cut-away portion4 atv 23.' joins with the` upper end of. thearcuate. shapedwall I8 and forms` a space within which a lug on theheadv described later may have movement.y

A. hammer` portion 2,14 is formed, inthe odset handle` portion, t6 as athickened. portion oi the outer web` 20, at; this point of` the webs`extension,

' the upper end of the spring may press.

This hammer portion on the handle extends in the general longitudinaldirection of the handle.

A transverse rib 25 extends from about the middle of the inner rib 2I ofthe handle and terminates in a at upper surface which is in alignmentwith the lower end of the hammer portion I9 on the handle. The outeredge 25 of the rib 25 is in alignment with'the face of the inner fixedVjaw of the head,- described later, so that the wrench may be easilyslipped on and off the wrench receiving portion of a sucker rod orcoupling.

In Figure 1 there is shown a modified form of lower end for the handlewhich is in the form of a spherical knob 26.

The head `II is formed with a hooked-shaped jaw indicated generally at21 extending toward the lower portion of the handle and having a fixedinner jaw 28 and an adjustably mounted outer jaw 29, see Fig. 4. Head IIis transversely apertured at 30 with the axis of the aperture extendingat a right angle to the longitudinal axis X-X, 'see Fig. 1, whichextends substantially mid-way between the jaws 28 and 29. .A bushing 3|is inserted in the aperture 3D and forms a pivotal bearing for asecuring pin or rivet 32 which extends through suitable transverseapertures in the bifurcated end I1 of the handle. In Figure 8, there isbest shown the mounting of this bushing 3l which is longer than thewidth of the head II. The ends of the bushing, indicated at3I' and 3l,extend beyond the adjacent sides of the head I I and have a bearing fitagainst the adjacent, inner faces of the bifurcated end I1'. Thisassembly of the bushing, as just described, prevents the bifurcated endsI1 from being bent or forced towards each other when the 'wrench isbeing transported and knocked against other tools and thus removes thedanger of these bifurcatecl ends binding against movement of the head.

The head II is further formed with a rearwardly extending rib 33 havinga rear edge 33 of arcuate shape which extends into the bifurcated end ofthe handle. The arcuate shaped rear edge 33 is positioned in adjacentspaced relationship to the arcuate shaped wall I8 of the 4slot in thehandle. There is a slight clearance between the wall I8 of the handleand the edge 33 of the head permitting the handle to have an oscillatingmovement with respect tothe pivotally -mounted head II. A rearwardly ex-Y tending lug 34 having a contact face 34 is formed in the upper rearportion of the rib 33.

f A longitudinal coil spring 35 is mounted within the spring and plungerreceiving recess 23 in the handle and interposed within the recess 23between the upper end of the spring 35 and the contact surface 34 of thelug 34 is a cylindrical plunger 36. Y The plunger 36 is formed with areduced cylindrical lower portion 36 thereby forming a shoulder 36" atthe junction of the two cylindrical plunger portions against which Thus,the spring pressed plunger 36 urges the head to rotate about its pivotalmounting in a counter-clockwise direction. l

Referring to Figure 3, there is best shown the action of the impactdelivering handle I2 with respect to the head I I and thecooperatingmovement of the spring pressed plunger 36. The handle I2 is shown in itsextreme open position with respect to the head I I and hammer surface I9on the Yhandle is at its farthest position from' 4 swinging the handlein a clockwise direction, a hard blow will be struck by the hammersurface I9 on the anvil 28" of the head which is assumed to be mountedon the squared portion of a sucker rod (not shown). The lower end of thereduced shank36' of the plunger 36 strikes the bottom of the recess 23,thereby limiting the swing of the handle. Spring 35 is so proportionedthat it is not compressed beyond its effective limit when the handle iswide open, thus its effectiveness is retained to urge the head I I intonormal or closed position with respect to the handle. The upper end ofthe arcuate surface I8 on the handle, as indicated at 23', is in spacedrelationship with the fact 34 of the lug on the head II when the handleis at its extreme open position. This latter arrangement of the surface23 prevents it from becoming hammered or deranged and insures that theplunger 3,6 is free to move inthe recess 23.

The inner xed jaw 28 on the head has a longitudinally extending face 28which is in alignment with the outer edge 25 of the rib 25 on thehandle. The end surface of the jaw 28 is in spaced relation to the upperend or face of the rib 25 on the handle.

An anvil 28 is formed on the lower end of the jaw 28 on the oppositeside to the vjaw face 28 and parallel thereto. The anvil 28" is sopositioned that the hammer I9 on the handle may strike against it whenthe handle is oscillated about the head. The spring pressed plunger 36by pressing against the lug 34, urges the anvil 28" andthe hammer I9into contact when the head is in normal position.

The spring 35 holds the jaw 21 of the head IIV in normal or closedposition, as shown in Figures l and 4, to make it easier for theoperator to put on or take oif the wrench. However, the spring 35 is notstrong enough to prevent a smooth back-up action when this sucker rodwrench is used to bump up or break the joints.

The use and mounting of the adjustably mounted, outer jaw 29 will now bedescribed. This outer jaw is so formed and mounted that its differentjaw faces may be brought into position opposite to the xed inner jaw,thus permitting various different spacing to be obtained between the jawfaces. This feature permits this wrench to be used on various differentsizes of wrench receiving portions on sucker rod joints or nippleconnections. In the structure here shown, two faces 29' and 29, onadjustably mounted outer jaw 29, may be brought into respectivepositions opposite to jaw face V28 on xed jaw 28, permitting this wrenchto be used on two different sizes of sucker rod squared portions. It iswithin the scope of the invention to so position the remaining faces ofthe adjustably mounted outer jaw 29 with respect to the axis of the jawthat the wrench may be used on other sizes of sucker rod squaredportions. In such a case, it would be necessary to add additional detentrecesses, similar to those shown at 42' and 42 in Figure 6 in the topface of the rotatably mounted outer jaw 29. Further, it is to beunderstood that the outer adjustable jaw may be 'formed of otherpolygonal shapes having more faces at'various spacings from the axis ofsaid jaw and thus providing many different spacings Vwith the xed jawface to t many sizes of sucker rods.

The head/.II mounting post 31 depending from the outer lower portionofthe head. The pivot portion 31 and the head are apertured at 31', seeFig. 4, and thishas formed thereon a pivot i 'n....N

fastener aperture is threaded to receive a securing cap screw 38. Thehead is slotted at 39 above the aperture 3l to receive a locking nut 4|]which is screwed onto the threaded upper end of the cap screw 38. A borehole 3'1" extends `in the head Il in alignment with the aperture 31facilitating the machining and fabrication of the head.

The multi-faced, eccentrically and axially adjustably mounted outer jaw29 is formed with a longitudinally extending aperture 4I, the axis ofwhich is offset from the longitudinal central axis of that jaw. Theupper end of the aperture 4| is counter-bored at 4I so as to form anadjustable mounting for the outer jaw 29 about the pivot post 31 on thehead. The lower end of the aperture 4I is counter-bored at 4I `toreceive the head 38' of the securing cap screw. This cap screw head 39'is formed with a wrench receiving portion 38 therein to permit theassembly of the cap screw in the head. The faces as at 29 and 29 of theouter jaw 29 are so formed that when in operative position opposite tothe face 28 on the fixed jaw 28, they are parallel thereto. Thus,byfadjusting the outer jaw 29, either face 29 or 29 may be brought intooperative position. It will ybe noted that due to the offset position ofthe pivoted aperture 4I, extending through the outer jaw 29, thatvarious spacings between the jaw faces are obtained which permit thiswrench to be used on various sizes of Wrench receiving squared portionson `sucker rods or nipple couplings.

In Figures 5 and 6, there is shown detent means for holding theadjustably mounted outer jaw in selected positions. Fig. 5 is a viewalong the section line 5-5 in Fig. l and shows the lower surface of thehead portion which mounts the outer jaw 29. A ball 42 is suitablymounted Within a socket extending into the head face 43. Within thesocket there is mounted a spring (not shown) which presses against theball 42 to urge it to extend outward beyond the surface face 43. Fig. 6is a view along the section line 6-6 of Figure 3 showing the upper faceof the outer jaw 29. Within two opposite corners of the face at 42 and42 there are formed semi-spherical indentations which cooperate With thespring pressed ball 42 to hold the adjustably mounted outer jaw 29 in aselected position of adjustment.

Referring now to Figure 1, it Will be noted that the contacting surfacesof the hammer I9 and the anvil 28 lie substantially in line with thelongitudinal axis through the hand gripping or lower portion I3 of thehandle I2. It will further be noted that the axis of the pivot mountingpin or rivet 32 lies slightly to the left of said longitudinal axisthrough the hand gripping or lower portion I3 of the handle I2. Thisarrangement (of parts has been found to give a pivotal mounting of thehandle in the head and an anvil and hammer contact that renders thewrench effective without jarring the operators hand. The arrangement andproportioning of the parts provides a wrench that has such weightdistribution that it has good balance on or off the job.

In using this sucker rod Wrench, the adjustably mounted outer jaw 29 isfirst adjusted so as to provide the proper spacing between the jaw facesto t the squared portion of the sucker rod or nipple on which it is tobe used.

In its normal or closed position, the spring 35 urges the plunger 36against lug 34 on the wrench head II, thus causing the anvil portion 28"on the head to be in contact with the hammer portion I9 on the handle.In such a normal posi- 6. tion, the head is held steady with respect tothe handle so that by grasping the handle of the wrench with only onehand, its jaw may be easily slid onto the squared lportion `of thesucker rod. To further assist in sliding the wrench jaw onto suchsquared portion, the ribbed `portion 25 is provided having the outeredge 25 in alignment with the inner face 28 of the fixed jaw 23. As thewrench is brought into position, the rib surface 25 bears against oneface of the squared `portion on a sucker rod and Yfrom that position,

the wrench is slid in the direction of the handle, bringing the jaw 21into operating position on the squared portion of the sucker rod.

The wrench is applied to the sucker rod in such a position that itshammer action may be brought into play either to loosen or tighten ajoint. Referring to Figure 4, the wrench is shown in closed positionwith the spring 35 urging the plunger against the lug 34 on the head II.Figure 3 shows the handle I2 rotated counterclockwise to its extremeopen position with the reduced shank portion 36 on the plunger 36striking against the bottom of its f housing recess 23. By swinging thehandle from its position in Figure 3 in a clockwise direction, a hammerblow will be struck -by the hammer portion I9 on the handle against theanvil portion 28 on the head which is assumed to be mounted on a squaredportion of a sucker rod. This hammer action may be repeated in a rapidmanner by merely oscillating the handle I2 to open and closed positionwith respect to the head to tighten a joint or to loosen a set up joint.

We Claim;

l. A wrench comprising a head member and an impact delivering handlemember, `said head member having a jaw, and an anvil, said jaw having afixed inner jaw portion and a multifaced, eccentrically and axiallyadjustably mounted outer jaw portion whereby a plurality of differentspacings are obtained between the face of said ixed inner jaw portionand the faces on said outer jaw when said outer jaw portion is adjusted,said handle member having an oiset end comprising a bifurcated endportion to receive said head member, and a hammer portion to strikeagainst said anvil, and a retaining pin disposed transversely throughsaid head member and said bifurcated end portion of the handle member,the axis of said retaining pin -being disposed transversely to saidbifurcated end portion and at a right angle to the jaw axis extendingsubstantially midway between said oppositely positioned jaw faces.

2. A wrench of the character described in claim l wherein said headmember includes a pivot mounting post for adjustably mounting said outerjawportion, said pivot mounting post on the head having a longitudinallythreaded opening for receiving a securing cap screw, said adjustablymounted outer jaw portion having a longitudinally extending openingeccentrically located therein and counterbored at its upper end toreceive said pivot mounting post and the securing cap screw extendingthrough said longitudinal opening in said outer jaw portion and screwedinto said threaded portion in said. pivot post, whereby said outer jawportion is adjustably mounted.

3. A wrench comprising a head member and an import delivering handlemember, said head member having a jaw, and an anvil, said jaw having afixed inner jaw portion and a multi-faced,

eccentrically and axially adjustably` mounted .outer jaw'-portionwherebya plurality ofdifferent spacings are obtained between the face of saidiixed innerjawVv portion and the faces on said outer jaw when said outerjaw portion is adjusted, said handle member having an oifset endcomprising a bifurcated end portion Vto receive said head member, and ahammer portion to strike against said anvil, a retaining pin disposedtransversely through said head member and said bifurcated end portion ofthe handle member. the axis of said retaining pin being disposedtransversely to said bifurcated end portion and at a right angle to thejaw axis which extends substantially midway between said jaw faces onsaid head,'and resilient means to normally hold said anvil against saidhammer portion on said handle. j

4. A wrench comprising a head member and an impact delivering handlemember, said head member having a jaw, an anvil, and a rearwardlyextending rib formed with an arcuate rear edge terminating at its upperportion in a rearwardly extending lug, said handle member having anoffset end comprising a bifurcated end portion forming a slot with anarcuately shaped rear wall to receive said head, a resilient meansreceiving recess, and a hammer portion'to strike against said anvil, aretaining pin disposed transversely throughsaid head member and saidbifurcated end portion of the handle member, the axis of said retainingpin being disposed transversely to said bifurcated end portion and at aI right angle-to rthe jaw axis extending substantially midway betweenthe faces of .said jaw on said head, and resilient means disposed withinsaid resilient means receiving recess in the han-V dle and pressingagainst said lug on the head whereby said anvil is urged against saidhammer portion on the handle.

' 5. A wrench for coupling and uncoupling sucker Vrod joints comprisinga head member and an impact delivering handle member; said head memberhaving a jaw opening towards said handle comprising a xed inner jaw anda multifaced, eccentrically and axially adjustably mounted outer jawwhereby a plurality of different spacings are obtained between the faceofV VVsaid fixed inner jaw and the faces on said outer jaw whensaid'outer jaw is adjusted, an anvil positioned at the outerY end ofsaid inner jaw and having a face parallel to the face of said inner jaw,a rearwardly Vextending rib having an arcuate rear edge extending fromsaid anvil face upward to a rearwardly extending lug portion on anvil onthe head, a second hammerportionpositioned on the opposite side to saidbifurcated end and extending inra direction substantially parallel tothe longitudinalaxis of the handle, -andV a rib on said handle positionbelow said anvil portion having its outer edge in alignment with theface of said inner jaw on the head when said rst hammer portion isagainst said anvil'` portion whereby the wrench may be easily slipped onand oilV suckerV rods; a retaining pindisposed transversely through'saidhead member and said bifurcated Vend portion of the handle,

6. A wrench of the character described in claiml 5 wherein said head andsaid pivotally mounted outer jaw are provided with cooperating detentmeans to hold said outer jaw in a selected adjusted position to presentone of said plurality of jaw faces opposite to said face on the fixedinner jaw on thehead. Y

7. A wrench of the character described in claim 6 wherein said head isapertured to receive a bushing for said retaining pin and a bushing ismounted in said bushing receiving aperture in the head.

8. A wrench of the character described in claim 6 wherein the face ofsaid rst hammer portion on the handle and the face of said anvil on thehead when in contacting position lie substantially in the longitudinalaxis of the hand gripping portion of said handle and the axis of said Yretaining pin lies to the opposite side of said longitudinal axis of thehandle from said oiTset end portion of the handle.

CARL E. OLSEN. JOSEPH A. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent: Y

Name VDate Y 1,018,528 SudldarthV Feb. 27, 1912 1,055,971 Ferguson Mar.11, 1913 1,129,966 Ehrhard; Mar. 2, 1915 1,722,652 ArcherV July 30, 19291,863,378 Meeks June 14, 1932 V2,069,976 Sehon Feb. 9, 1937 Y 2,179,396Barrington Nov. 7, 1939 2,219,421 .Jones Oct. 29, 1940 2,373,054v Rudrowet al. Apr. f3, 1945

